Major League Soccer

MLS Playoffs: Key Matchups: LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake

There are several key areas to watch in the MLS Cup final between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake. Zac Lee Rigg points out the most enticing of them.

Nov 21, 2009 9:11:36 PM

MLS: Javier Morales (RSL), David Beckham (Los Angeles), Real Salt Lake v. Los Angeles Galaxy, May 2008 (ISI)

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MLS: Javier Morales (RSL), David Beckham (Los Angeles), Real Salt Lake v. Los Angeles Galaxy, May 2008 (ISI)

Teams

David Beckham vs. Will Johnson

Both these players like to float: Beckham to his right to send raking balls over the top and Johnson to his left to harry players on the ball. It's likely, given Johnson's work rate and selfishness, that you won't find these two players more than a couple yards away from each other all game. Key to this matchup could be Beckham's fitness. The England international trained for the first time all week on Friday, was in a foot brace until Thursday, has a cold, and will have to take an injection to play Sunday. If he can't limber up, Johnson may run him into the ground. However, the 34-year-old is capable of the moment of magic to decide a tie at any given time, so the Canadian will need to stay alert.

Landon Donovan vs. Robbie Russell

Tony Beltran is fit again, but it's likely RSL coach Jason Kreis will stick with the player who helped get him this far into the playoffs. Russell is a giant of a man, 6'2" and 205 lbs. Where Donovan will attack him is along the ground at diagonals, using his explosive pace to burst past. Russell is always a red card worry, so the Galaxy captain will try to get in behind him at every opportunity and force Russell into tough decisions to bring him down. After a rather silent game against the Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference final, Donovan will want to influence this one as much as possible. He's got the talent to decide the match, so it will be up to Russell to limit his impact.

Gregg Berhalter vs. Robbie Findley

The cornerstone to a defensively rigid backline, Berhalter has one criticism persistently leveled against him: he's slow. Throughout the season, when pacy strikers isolated the 36-year-old veteran, he either lost them or committed silly fouls to compensate. First on Findley's list of positive attributes is his pace. The youngster finished tied for third with 12 goals in the regular season scoring charts, most of them created by his speed. To keep RSL out, Berhalter will need to organize his defense well, sit deep, and force Salt Lake's pacy weapons wide. If he wants to breach LA's goal, Findley will need to get in behind or run at Berhalter.

Dema Kovalenko vs. Javier Morales

These former teammates know all about each other. Kovalenko, the feisty and ruthless cog, cleans up the Galaxy midfield and funnels the ball to Beckham with short simple passes. Morales floats and rotates around the midfield, letting his markers punch at air, until he can find the space to use his vision and change games. Of all Salt Lake's players, the Argentine playmaker has the most natural ability to pull a play out of nothing. It'll be up to Kovalenko to not allow him those extra seconds needed on the ball. During LA's playoff run, Kovalenko has shown probably the best form of his career, flawlessly plugging every hole, physically imposing himself, working the ball around efficiently, and using his grit to back up Beckham. He'll need one more inspired performance against a very talented RSL midfield headlined by Morales to give his team chance of glory.

Edson Buddle vs. Jamison Olave & Nat Borchers

After Friday's training session, several Salt Lake players went out of their way to point out that the Galaxy have more weapons than just Beckham and Donovan. They all listed Buddle among them. The striker's season was blighted by injury, but he's forced himself back into the lineup lately. His pace and power up front grants more space to those behind him, and his 15 goals in 2008 prove his knack for goal. The Lakers' duo of Olave and Borchers have clicked in this playoff run and look near impenetrable. Olave man marks and wins anything possible in the air with Borchers next to him organizing the backline and picking up scraps. Buddle may not win a physical battle against them, but if he can keep them tied up, Donovan, Beckham, and Magee will have more of a chance to sneak in unnoticed.

Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com

Who does Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo support? Find out in the November issue of Goal.com Magazine.

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